Tag: Wimbledon Championships

Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final. She plays Marketa Vondrousova for the title

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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — There was a time — a year ago; six months ago, even — that Ons Jabeur might not have recovered from the deficit she found herself in during the Wimbledon semifinals. Down a set. Down a break in the second set. So close to being just a game from defeat.

She credits a sports psychologist with helping her understand how to deal with those on-court situations, with managing to keep her focus, keep her strokes on-target. Thanks in part to that, and a steadiness down the stretch at Centre Court on Thursday, Jabeur is on her way to a second consecutive final at the All England Club and her third title match in the past five Grand Slam tournaments.

Now she wants to win a trophy. The sixth-seeded Jabeur earned the right to play for one again by beating big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.

Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova will become a first-time Grand Slam champion when they play each other in the Wimbledon women’s final.

Daniil Medvedev had to skip the Wimbledon tournament last year but not because he wanted to. The 2021 U.S.

There’s no better way to escape the intense heatwave in Tunisia than to head inside and watch Wimbledon on TV when Ons Jabeur is playing.

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet in the Wimbledon final. Both won their semifinals in straight sets.

“I’m very proud of myself, because maybe old me would have lost the match today and went back home already. But I’m glad that I kept digging very deep and finding the strength,” said Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia who already was the only Arab woman and only North African woman to reach a major final.

“I’m learning to transform the bad energy into a good one,” Jabeur said, explaining that she was able to get over the anger she felt after the first set. “Some things I have no control over: She can ace any time. She can hit the big serve, even if I have a break point. That’s frustrating a bit. But I’m glad that I’m accepting it and I’m digging deep to just go and win this match — and, hopefully, this tournament.”

To do that, Jabeur will need to get past Marketa Vondrousova, a left-hander from the Czech Republic, on Saturday. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3.

Like Jabeur, Vondrousova has been to a major final before. Like Jabeur, she’s never won one, having been the runner-up at the 2019 French Open as a teen.

“We’re both hungry,” Jabeur said.

So far, Jabeur is 0-2 in Slam finals. She lost to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September.

Jabeur’s win over No. 2 Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion in January, followed victories against three other major title winners: No. 3 Rybakina, No. 9 Petra Kvitova and Bianca Andreescu.

“I want to make my path worth it,” Jabeur said.

Thursday’s triumph, which came by collecting 10 of the last 13 games, prevented Sabalenka from replacing Swiatek at No. 1 in the rankings.

“I had so many opportunities,” said Sabalenka, a 25-year-old from Belarus who was not allowed to compete at Wimbledon last year because all players from her country and from Russia were banned over the war in Ukraine. “Overall, I didn’t play my best tennis today. It was just, like, a combo of everything. A little bit of nerves, a little bit of luck for her at some points.”

Jabeur trailed 4-2 in the second set when she began to turn things around. But not before Sabalenka came within a point from leading 5-3 after Jabeur put a forehand into the net and fell onto her back on the grass of Centre Court.

She dusted herself off and broke to take that game and begin the comeback. When she delivered a backhand return winner to force the match to a third set, Jabeur held her right index finger to her ear, then raised it and wagged it as she strutted to the changeover.

Sabalenka’s shots missed the mark repeatedly. She finished with far more unforced errors than Jabeur: The margins were 14-5 in the last set and 45-15 for the match.

“I was little bit emotionally down, then she was up,” said Sabalenka, who hit 10 aces but also double-faulted five times.

A break put Jabeur up 4-2 in the third, but there was still some work to be done. Sabalenka, as powerful a ball-striker as there is on tour, erased four match points before Jabeur converted her fifth with a 103 mph ace.

In the first semifinal, the 43rd-ranked Vondrousova reeled off seven consecutive games in one stretch against the 76th-ranked Svitolina, who returned from maternity leave just three months ago. After surprisingly beating Swiatek in the quarterfinals, she was trying to become the first woman from Ukraine to make it to the title match at a major tennis tournament.

Svitolina received loud support from thousands in the crowd at the main stadium — Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain was in the Royal Box — as applause and yells echoed off the closed roof.

Svitolina says she plays more calmly nowadays, something she attributed to the dual motivations of playing for her baby daughter, who was born in October, and of playing for her home country, where the ongoing war began in February 2022, when Russia invaded with help from Belarus.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can. Sometimes it gets maybe too much,” Svitolina said. “But I don’t want to (make it) an excuse.”

Vondrousova missed about six months last season because of two operations on her left wrist. She visited England last year with a cast on that arm to enjoy London as a tourist and to watch her best friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, try to qualify for Wimbledon.

“It’s not always easy to come back. You don’t know if you can play at this level and if you can be back at the top and back at these tournaments,” Vondrousova said. “I just feel like I’m just grateful to be on a court again, to play without pain.”

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 14, 2023
Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final. She plays Marketa Vondrousova for the title

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WIMBLEDON, England — There was a time when Ons Jabeur might not have recovered from the deficit she found herself in during the Wimbledon semifinals. Down a set. Down a break. So close to being just a game from defeat.

She credits her sports psychologist with helping her understand how to deal with those on-court situations, with managing to keep her focus, keep her strokes on-target. Thanks in part to that, and a steadiness down the stretch at Centre Court on Thursday, Jabeur is on her way to a second consecutive final at the All England Club and her third title match in the past five Grand Slam tournaments.

Now she wants to win a trophy. The sixth-seeded Jabeur earned the right to play for one again by beating big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.

“I’m very proud of myself, because maybe old me would have lost the match today and went back home already. But I’m glad that I kept digging very deep and finding the strength,” said Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia who is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to reach a major final.

“I’m learning to transform the bad energy into a good one,” Jabeur said, explaining that she was able to get over the anger she felt after the first set. “Some things I have no control over: She can ace any time. She can hit the big serve, even if I have a break point. That’s frustrating a bit. But I’m glad that I’m accepting it and I’m digging deep to just go and win this match — and, hopefully, this tournament.”

To do that, Jabeur will need to get past Marketa Vondrousova, a left-hander from the Czech Republic, on Saturday. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3 earlier Thursday.

So far, Jabeur is 0-2 in Slam finals after losing to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September.

Jabeur’s victory Thursday, which came by collecting 10 of the last 13 games, prevented No. 2 Sabalenka from replacing Swiatek at No. 1 in the rankings. Sabalenka came into the match with a 17-1 record at majors in 2023, including a trophy at the Australian Open.

Jabeur trailed 4-2 in the second set when she began to turn things around. But not before Sabalenka came within a point from leading 5-3 after Jabeur put a forehand into the net and fell onto her back on the grass of Centre Court.

She dusted herself off and broke to take that game and begin her big comeback. When she delivered a backhand return winner to force the match to a third set, Jabeur held her right index finger to her ear, then raised it and wagged it as she strutted to the changeover.

Sabalenka’s shots missed the mark repeatedly. She finished with far more unforced errors than Jabeur: The margins were 14-5 in the last set and 45-15 for the match.

A break put Jabeur up 4-2 in the third, but there was still some work to be done. Sabalenka, as powerful a ball-striker as there is on tour, erased four match points before Jabeur converted her fifth with a 103 mph ace.

In the first semifinal, Vondrousova reeled off seven consecutive games in one stretch. She is ranked 43rd and reached the second Grand Slam final of her career after getting that far as a teenager at the 2019 French Open.

“I was crazy nervous,” said Vondrousova, who bowed her head and knelt at the baseline when the match was over. “I was nervous, actually, the whole match.”

Ranked No. 76 and an unseeded wild-card recipient, Svitolina returned to the tour from maternity leave just three months ago. After surprisingly beating Swiatek in the quarterfinals, she was trying to become the first woman from Ukraine to make it to the title match at a major tennis tournament.

“She’s such a fighter,” said Vondrousova, who compiled a 22-9 edge in total winners, “and she’s also such a great person.”

Svitolina received loud support from thousands in the crowd at the main stadium — Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain was in the Royal Box — as applause and yells echoed off the closed roof.

Svitolina has said that she is playing more freely and more calmly nowadays, something she attributed to having the dual motivations of playing for her baby daughter, who was born in October, and of trying to bring happiness to people in her home country, where an ongoing war began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can. Sometimes it gets maybe too much,” Svitolina said. “But I don’t want to (make it) an excuse.”

From 3-all in the opening set Thursday, Svitolina’s level began to dip, while Vondrousova’s rose. Over the ensuing half-hour, Vondrousova was in complete control, so much so that she took that set and pulled ahead 4-0 in the next.

Suddenly, though, Svitolina got within 4-3.

Vondrousova put an end to that mini-streak by collecting the last two games. She missed about six months last season because of two operations on her left wrist, but is back at the height of her powers and back in the spotlight of a Grand Slam final.

She came to England last year with a cast on that arm to enjoy London as a tourist and to watch her best friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, play in the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon.

“It’s not always easy to come back. You don’t know if you can play at this level and if you can be back at the top and back at these tournaments,” Vondrousova said. “I just feel like I’m just grateful to be on a court again, to play without pain.”

Asked how she plans to prepare for Saturday, Vondrousova laughed.

“I’m just going to chill now,” she replied.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 13, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka reaches Wimbledon semifinals. Queen Camilla sits in Royal Box

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Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight time with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022

ByCHRIS LEHOURITES AP Sports Writer

Madison Keys of the US returns to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in a women’s singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

The Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England — Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight time, with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022.

Sabalenka, a Belarusian who is seeded second at the All England Club, had to sit out last year’s competition along with other players from her country and from Russia because of the war in Ukraine. She advanced Wednesday by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4 on No. 1 Court.

“It really feels amazing to be back in the semifinals. I can’t wait to play in my second semifinal at Wimbledon,” said Sabalenka, who lost to runner-up Karolina Pliskova in 2021. “Hopefully I can do better than I did last time.”

The victory improved Sabalenka’s record to 17-1 at major tournaments this year. She won the Australian Open and reached the semifinals at the French Open before her five wins so far on the grass at Wimbledon.

Sabalenka also improved her record to 6-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinal matches, and she did so despite much of the cheering going toward Keys on Wednesday.

“Thank you so much for the atmosphere, even though you supported her more,” Sabalenka said on court. “I still enjoyed playing in front of you guys.”

Sabalenka will next face either defending champion Elena Rybakina or Ons Jabuer. They were playing in another quarterfinal match on Centre Court.

Later Wednesday in the men’s quarterfinals, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz was scheduled to face Holger Rune on Centre Court. Daniil Medvedev was to play Chris Eubanks on No. 1 Court.

Queen Camilla was in attendance on Day 10 of the tournament, about a week after Kate, the Princess of Wales, sat in the Royal Box.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 12, 2023
Georgia Tech’s Eubanks stuns Tsitsipas at Wimbledon to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal

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WIMBLEDON, England — Until about a week ago, even Chris Eubanks did not really believe he was capable of this sort of thing — of beating the world’s best tennis players at Wimbledon, of reaching the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament, of winning match after match after match on grass courts.

“I would show up to tour events saying, ‘Oh, can I get through a couple rounds of here?’” he said during an interview the day before play began at the All England Club. “Now I genuinely can say, probably for the first time, I’m showing up to tournaments with higher expectations and really wanting to do well and put my best foot forward. I’m no longer feeling OK just being there. I know that I belong.”

Does he ever.

Eubanks, a 6-foot-7, big-serving American making his Wimbledon debut at age 27 right after claiming the first ATP title of his career, reached the quarterfinals at a major for the first time by stunning two-time Slam runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a little over three hours on Monday.

“I feel like I’m living a dream right now. This is absolutely insane, when you paint all of the context. I’ve tried so much to block everything out and just focus on the next match — as cliché as it sounds — but … it’s surreal,” Eubanks, who is from Atlanta and played college tennis at Georgia Tech, told the crowd during an on-court interview. “It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe this.”

Why would he? He is ranked a career-best 43rd right now but had a win-loss record of merely 6-10 before going on the run to the trophy at Mallorca, Spain, on July 1. That came on grass, which he decided he hated a month ago — calling it “the stupidest surface” in a text he sent to International Tennis Hall of Fame member Kim Clijsters — after exiting in the second round at a low-level ATP Challenger Tour event.

“Those words will never come out of my mouth for the rest of my career. The grass and I, we’ve had a very strenuous, I would say, relationship over the years,” Eubanks said after accumulating 53 winners, 16 more than Tsitsipas. “But right now, I think it’s my best friend.”

He is now on a nine-match winning streak after adding the upset of the No. 5-seeded Tsitsipas to an earlier victory over No. 12 Cam Norrie at the All England Club. Next comes another challenge, meeting No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, for a berth in the semifinals.

This is just the ninth Grand Slam tournament for Eubanks, who previously never had been past the second round at one of the sport’s most prestigious events. After questioning his ability to contend for titles, Eubanks thought about pursuing television commentary instead, and he’s worked on-air for Tennis Channel.

But he sure is having a terrific time with a racket in his hand these days.

During the latter stages against Tsitsipas, Eubanks waved his arms to the crowd to urge it to get louder. After smacking a one-handed down-the-line backhand winner that finished with the flourish of a flowing follow-through, giving him a break for a 4-3 edge in the fifth set, Eubanks held his right index finger to his ear, seeking more noise.

When he showed a bit of nerves while serving for the victory, missing a backhand, then a volley, he managed to settle down.

“Although it got a little bit dicey at the end,” Eubanks said, “I still could have the confidence to say: ‘I’m a server. I hit serving targets for these moments right here, and let’s just try to do what I know how to do.’”

He closed it out with a 127 mph ace followed by a forehand winner and, after shaking hands with Tsitsipas, stood at the center of the court with his thumbs up, his arms spread wide and a smile to match.

Eubanks soaked up all of the cheers — his supporters included Coco Gauff, the American who reached the fourth round in her Wimbledon debut at age 15 in 2019 and was the runner-up at 18 at the French Open last year — and then curled his fingers to turn his hands into the shape of a heart.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 10, 2023
Andrey Rublev gets to the ball and sets up the win to reach Wimbledon quarterfinals

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WIMBLEDON, England — Andrey Rublev ran to his right, sized up the distance to the ball and then did the incredible.

Diving through the air while hoping beyond hope, Rublev pulled off the shot of the Wimbledon tournament Sunday by somehow swiping the ball back over the net for a forehand winner from behind the baseline — a winner that set up match point and a spot in the quarterfinals.

“Probably it was the most lucky shot ever. It just was luck,” Rublev said on court after reaching the second week at the All England Club for the first time. “I don’t think I can do it one more time.”

Rublev ended up beating Alexander Bublik 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4, taking the fifth set after failing to convert two match points earlier in the match.

The seventh-seeded Russian became the ninth active male player to reach the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slams. But he has never gone further at any of them.

To reach the semifinals at Wimbledon, Rublev may have to face seven-time champion Novak Djokovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion was scheduled to play Hubert Hurkacz later Sunday on Centre Court.

This year is only the second time play is officially scheduled for the middle Sunday at Wimbledon. Four times in the past, in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016, organizers used the day to deal with a backlog of matches.

Eighth-seeded Jannik Sinner and unseeded Roman Safiullin also reached the quarterfinals on Day 7 of the grass-court tournament. Sinner defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-3 and Safiullin beat 26th-seeded Denis Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

Earlier, 21st-seeded Grigor Dimitrov became the last man to reach the fourth round. He beat Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a match that started on Saturday and will next face sixth-seeded Holger Rune.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, playing at Wimbledon for the first time, earned the final spot in the fourth round of the women’s draw.

The Russian qualifier is the latest teen sensation in tennis, and she isn’t disappointing at the All England Club. Andreeva is the youngest player since Coco Gauff in 2019 to reach the women’s fourth round at Wimbledon. She reached the third round at this year’s French Open in her first major tournament.

Despite trailing 4-1 in the second set, Andreeva beat 22nd-seeded Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 7-5 on No. 3 Court.

“I came back from 1-4, so of course I feel great,” Andreeva said on court before explaining how she keeps her cool. “Today, honestly, even if I wanted to show some emotions, I honestly, I couldn’t because I was out of breath almost every point. I really couldn’t show any emotions.”

They came out after, though, when Andreeva sat in her chair and pulled her purple Wimbledon towel up over her face for a few seconds to regain her composure.

Andreeva will next face No. 25 Madison Keys for a spot in the quarterfinals.

The third-round victory came 21 minutes after Marketa Vondrousova became the first player to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Vondrousova defeated 32nd-seeded Marie Bouzkova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula also reached the quarterfinals. The 29-year-old American beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-3 and will next face Vondrousova.

Later Sunday, top-seeded Iga Swiatek was playing Belinda Bencic on Centre Court.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 9, 2023
8-year-old girl in ‘life-threatening condition’ after deadly school car crash in Wimbledon

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LONDON — An 8-year-old girl is in life-threatening condition in a hospital following a car crash at an elementary school in Wimbledon that claimed the life of another girl of the same age, London police said Friday.

The Metropolitan Police also said a woman in her 40s is in critical condition following the crash Thursday in southwest London.

A Land Rover crashed through a fence and hit a building at the Study Preparatory School for girls aged between 4 and 11.

Police said the crash, which occurred while the children were having an end-of-year party in the garden, was not terror-related.

The Met said a woman arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been released on bail pending further investigation until later in the month. She was also taken to a hospital but her life was not in danger, police said. It was unclear whether she was still hospitalized.

A number of other people, including a 7-month-old girl, were also taken to the hospital but were not in critical condition, police said.

On Thursday, London’s ambulance service said 16 people, including the girl who died, were treated at the scene for injuries. Ten of them were later hospitalized.

The Met said that it understands that the school-age children who were injured were pupils at the school and that the injured adults were parents or carers, not staff members.

“It is difficult to imagine the pain and upset the families of those involved are going through and we will do all we can to support them as our investigation continues,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, the local police commander for southwest London.

“This was the largest local policing deployment in southwest London since 2017 and our officers, along with members of the other emergency services, were met with a challenging and traumatic scene,” she said.

The crash occurred about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is hosting the world-famous Wimbledon tennis tournament. Unlike the grand slam event, the school is located in a fairly remote area surrounded by local parks, horse trails and golf courses.

Members of the Wimbledon Common Golf Club, which is opposite the site of the crash, held a minute’s silence outside the school gates on Friday afternoon.

The group stood on the road to pay its respects and laid flowers.

“It’s just so sad to lose someone so young,” said the club’s chairman, Peter Thompson.

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July 7, 2023
Girl dies after SUV crashes into a London school; a woman arrested for possible dangerous driving

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LONDON — A girl was killed Thursday when an SUV crashed into an elementary school on a very narrow road in the Wimbledon district of southwest London, police said.

The Metropolitan Police said there have been further injuries, but didn’t provide any new details. Earlier, police said that seven children and two adults were injured during the crash, which isn’t being treated as terror-related.

“This is tragic news and our thoughts are with the girl’s family and friends, and everyone affected today,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, the local police commander for southwest London.

Police also confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, a woman in her 40s, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Police were called to The Study Preparatory School, a private all-girls school, at 9:54 a.m., along with paramedics on the ground and air ambulances. The driver of the vehicle, believed to be a Land Rover, stopped at the scene.

Stephen Hammond, Wimbledon’s representative in Parliament, said the section of the school where the crash took place caters to younger children between the ages of 4 and 8.

“There are a number of people who are critically injured, as I understand it, and given the scale of the response from emergency services … this is a very serious incident,” he said.

The crash occurred about a mile away from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is hosting the world-famous Wimbledon tennis tournament. Unlike the grand slam event, the school is located in a fairly remote area surrounded by local parks, horse trails and golf courses.

Police have extended a large cordon around the school and television pictures from overhead showed the SUV up against the wall of the building.

Dog walkers and passersby were moved away from the scene as an air ambulance remained on the edge of Wimbledon Common, a large open space, while a number of ambulances were parked nearby.

“Wimbledon is like a little village,” resident Julie Atwood said. “For this to happen in Wimbledon is unheard of. It’s terrible.”

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July 6, 2023
Princess Kate visits Wimbledon. Rain interrupts play for the 2nd straight day

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The Princess of Wales was at a rainy Wimbledon and is expected to sit in the Royal Box when play begins on Centre Court

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales arrives on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Hannah Mckay/Pool Photo via AP)

The Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England — Kate, the Princess of Wales, was at a rainy Wimbledon on Tuesday and is expected to sit in the Royal Box when play begins on Centre Court.

Showers interrupted play on Day 2 at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament, just like it did on the opening day.

Matches began on most courts shortly after 11 a.m. at the All England Club, but the tarps came out as the rain came down about an hour later.

Rain is forecast for much of the day Tuesday in southwest London.

The only two courts at Wimbledon with retractable roofs, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, were not scheduled to have matches until later in the day.

Elena Rybakina will open Tuesday’s Centre Court play against American opponent Shelby Rogers — the traditional spot for the defending women’s champion. The defending men’s champion, Novak Djokovic, had the honor of starting play in the main stadium on Day 1.

Djokovic’s match was delayed by rain Monday, and he even helped dry the court before play resumed. The seven-time champion ended up beating Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 4, 2023
Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff get Wimbledon started on Day 1

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Wimbledon gets started on Monday with some of the biggest names in tennis in action

United States’ Venus Williams practices at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Britain, ahead of the championships starting tomorrow, on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (John Walton/PA via AP)

The Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England — WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wimbledon gets started on Monday with some of the biggest names in tennis in action, including Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff.

It is the year’s third major tournament — and Djokovic won the first two: the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That puts him halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. He came close to the feat in 2021, falling just one victory short when he lost in the final of the U.S. Open.

He seeks a fifth consecutive title at the All England Club and eighth overall, which both would tie records for men.

Djokovic’s title at Roland Garros was his 23rd at a Slam event, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the men’s mark in that category.

As the reigning men’s champion at Wimbledon, Djokovic is scheduled to play the opening match at Centre Court on Day 1, facing Pedro Cachin of Argentina.

They’ll be followed in the main stadium by Williams, a 43-year-old participating in the sport’s oldest major tournament for the 24th time and taking on Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Williams — whose younger sister, Serena, retired after last season — won five of her seven Grand Slam singles trophies at Wimbledon.

The No. 1-ranked Swiatek, who owns four major titles but hasn’t been past the fourth round at the All England Club, gets things started at No. 1 Court against Zhu Lin of China. Up next in that arena will be three-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud against Laurent Lokoli, and then Gauff — a 19-year-old American who was a French Open finalist last year — against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 3, 2023
Berrettini is staying off social media ahead of Wimbledon to avoid positive words

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WIMBLEDON, England — WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Matteo Berrettini is ignoring social media ahead of Wimbledon for the time being. Not simply, mind you, to avoid negative comments from strangers — or not just for that reason, anyway — but to stay away from positive messages, too.

Let’s let the player who was a finalist at the All England Club in 2021 explain:

“People believe in me, which is beautiful, but I also got to a point where I realized that nine out of 10 people who ask me something, the next phrase they write is, ‘This year, you’ll win Wimbledon,’” Berrettini said Sunday. “And so I need to protect myself from that sort of thing, too.”

Even thoughts from other people that are meant to be supportive can get in his head and create problems, in part by raising the pressure with regard to what sort of result he is “supposed” to achieve.

“I consider myself pretty mature,” said Berrettini, a 27-year-old from Italy who has been ranked as high as No. 6 and is outside the top 35 now, “but it’s not easy to handle it all.”

Particularly during a season when hand surgery and an abdominal muscle problem have limited him to 14 matches.

“I need to try to focus on the things that brought me to where I got, such as hard work, keeping my head down, doing what I like to do — fight, and believe in my team and my family,” Berrettini said. “So that’s what I’m doing.”

He missed Wimbledon a year ago after testing positive for COVID-19 and faces Lorenzo Sonego — a countryman and his best friend on tour — in the first round on Tuesday.

ELENA RYBAKINA DEFENDS HER TITLE

A year ago at Wimbledon, everything was new to Elena Rybakina.

She had been past the fourth round only once — and never past the quarterfinals — in 11 previous Grand Slam appearances. She was not among the leading seeds or among the favorites.

And now? Now she returns to the All England Club as the defending champion. Plus, she showed that was no fluke by reaching the final at the Australian Open in January.

“I know what to expect, how it works, if you actually go that far in the tournament,” Rybakina said Sunday. “Psychologically I would say that it’s a bit easier than when you don’t know what to expect.”

She is seeded No. 3 in the women’s bracket and will play Shelby Rogers of the United States in the first round on Tuesday.

Rybakina pulled out of the French Open before her third-round match last month because of a viral illness, then cited that reason again when she withdrew from a grass-court tournament in England last week.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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July 2, 2023
Wimbledon drops ban on Russians, lets them play as neutrals

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Russian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutral athletes after the All England Club reversed its ban from last year

ByKEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer

LONDON — Russian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutral athletes after the All England Club on Friday reversed its ban from last year.

The players must sign declarations of neutrality and comply with “appropriate conditions,” including not expressing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted,” All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a statement.

The players cannot receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian states, including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by the states.

Those impacted include Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.

Other tennis tournaments have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutral athletes.

“We also consider alignment between the Grand Slams to be increasingly important in the current tennis environment,” the club said.

The same conditions will apply for Lawn Tennis Association tournaments used by players as grass-court warmups for the sport’s oldest Grand Slam tournament.

The women’s and men’s professional tennis tours last year imposed heavy fines on the LTA and threatened to pull its tournaments. The ATP and WTA had also responded to last year’s ban by not awarding ranking points for Wimbledon — an unprecedented move against the prestigious event.

“There was a strong and very disappointing reaction from some governing bodies in tennis to the position taken by the All England Club and the LTA last year with consequences which, if continued, would be damaging to the interests of players, fans, The Championships and British tennis,” the club said.

This year’s Wimbledon tournament will start on July 3. The women’s final is scheduled for July 15 and the men’s final on July 16.

The All England Club said the conditions were developed through talks with the British government, the LTA and “international stakeholder bodies in tennis.”

The club’s statement described “personal player declarations” but didn’t provide details. The LTA said the players and support staff “will be required to sign neutrality declarations” similar to those used in other sports.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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March 31, 2023
Wimbledon to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete this year | CNN

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CNN
—

Wimbledon will accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players for this year’s tournament if they agree to compete as neutral athletes and comply with “appropriate conditions,” organizers announced Friday in a statement.

Tennis players from Russia and Belarus were banned from playing in last year’s championships following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, resulting in the men’s and women’s professional tours – the ATP and WTA – and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) stripping Wimbledon of its ranking points.

Entry conditions for this year’s event, one of tennis’ four majors, include prohibiting “expressions of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” while players who receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian state will not be allowed to compete, including those receiving sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by them.

“We continue to condemn totally Russia’s illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine,” Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club, said in a statement. “This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted.

“It is our view that, considering all factors, these are the most appropriate arrangements for The Championships for this year. We are thankful for the Government’s support as we and our fellow tennis stakeholder bodies have navigated this complex matter and agreed on conditions we believe are workable.

“If circumstances change materially between now and the commencement of The Championships, we will consider and respond accordingly.”

The All England Club said the entry conditions had been “carefully developed” through conversations with the UK government, the Lawn Tennis Association – Britain’s national governing tennis body – and international stakeholders.

It added that the decision has the “full support” of the UK government, the LTA, ATP, WTA and ITF.

“The ITF’s position on this issue has been clear and consistent from the start and remains the same,” the ITF, world tennis’ governing body, said in a statement.

“We acted swiftly to suspend the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation from ITF membership and from participation in ITF international competitions until further notice.

“At the time we recognised that there would be specific responses from nations, and this is what we saw with the LTA and All England Lawn Tennis Club last year. Their collective position has now evolved, and we continue to work closely with them on this issue.

“Tennis stands in solidarity with Ukraine.”

In a joint statement released Friday, the WTA and ATP said it is “pleased that all players will have an opportunity to compete at Wimbledon and LTA events this summer.”

“It has taken a collaborative effort across the sport to arrive at a workable solution which protects the fairness of the game,” the statement added.

“This remains an extremely difficult situation and we would like to thank Wimbledon and the LTA for their efforts in reaching this outcome, while reiterating our unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine.”

Wimbledon takes place this year from July 3 to July 16.

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March 31, 2023
Sabalenka beats Rybakina for Australian Open women’s title

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MELBOURNE, Australia — The serves were big. So big. Other shots, too. The points were over quickly. So quickly: Seven of the first 13 were aces.

And so it was immediately apparent in the Australian Open women’s final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina that the one who could manage to keep her serve in line, get a read on returns and remain steady at the tightest moments would emerge victorious.

That turned out to be Sabalenka, a 24-year-old from Belarus, who won her first Grand Slam title by coming back to beat Wimbledon champion Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at Melbourne Park on Saturday night, using 17 aces among her 51 total winners to overcome seven double-faults.

It was telling that Sabalenka’s remarks during the post-match ceremony were directed at her coach, Anton Dubrov, and her fitness trainer, Jason Stacy — she referred to them as “the craziest team on tour, I would say.”

“We’ve been through a lot of, I would say, downs last year,” said Sabalenka, who was appearing in her first major final. “We worked so hard and you guys deserve this trophy. It’s more about you than it’s about me.”

Now 11-0 in 2023 with two titles already, she is a powerful player whose most glowing strength was also her most glaring shortfall: her serve. Long capable of hammering aces, she also had a well-known problem with double-faulting, leading the tour in that category last year with nearly 400, including more than 20 apiece in some matches.

After much prodding from her group, she finally agreed to undergo an overhaul of her serving mechanics last August. That, along with a commitment to trying to stay calm in the most high-pressure moments, is really paying off now.

The only set she has dropped all season was the opener on Saturday against Rybakina, who eliminated No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

But Sabalenka turned things around with an aggressive style and, importantly, by breaking Rybakina three times, the last coming for a 4-3 lead in the third set that was never relinquished.

Still, Sabalenka needed to work for the championship while serving in what would be the last game, double-faulting on her initial match point and requiring three more to close things out.

When Rybakina sent a forehand long to cap the final after nearly 2 1/2 hours, Sabalenka dropped to her back on the court and stayed down for a bit, covering her face as her eyes welled with tears.

Sabalenka was 0-3 in Grand Slam semifinals until eliminating Magda Linette in Melbourne. Now Sabalenka has done one better and will rise to No. 2 in the rankings.

As seagulls were squawking loudly while flying overhead at Rod Laver Arena, Rybakina and Sabalenka traded booming serves. Rybakina’s fastest arrived at 121 mph (195 kph), Sabalenka’s at 119 mph (192 kph). They traded zooming groundstrokes from the baseline, often untouchable, resulting in winner after winner.

“Hopefully,” Rybakina said afterward, “we’re going to have many more battles.”

The key statistic, ultimately, was this: Sabalenka accumulated 13 break points, Rybakina seven. Sabalenka’s trio of conversions was enough, and the constant pressure she managed to apply during Rybakina’s service games had to take a toll.

Sabalenka had been broken just six times in 55 service games through the course of these two weeks, an average of once per match. It took Rybakina fewer than 10 minutes of action and all of two receiving games to get the measure of things and lead 2-1, helped by getting back one serve that arrived at 117 mph (189 kph).

A few games later, Sabalenka returned the favor, also putting her racket on one of Rybakina’s offerings at that same speed. Then, when Sabalenka grooved a down-the-line backhand passing winner to grab her first break and pull even at 4-all, she looked at Dubrov and Stacy in the stands, raised a fist and shouted.

In the next game, though, Sabalenka gave that right back, double-faulting twice — including on break point — to give Rybakina a 5-4 edge. This time, Sabalenka again turned toward her entourage, but with a sigh and an eye roll and arms extended, as if to say, “Can you believe it?”

Soon after, Rybakina held at love to own that set.

Sabalenka changed the momentum right from the get-go in the second set. Aggressively attacking, she broke to go up 3-1, held for 4-1 and eventually served it out, fittingly, with an ace — on a second serve, no less.

Sabalenka acknowledged ahead of time that she expected to be nervous. Which makes perfect sense: This was the most important match of her career to date.

And if those jitters were evident ever-so-briefly early — she double-faulted on the evening’s very first point — and appeared to be resurfacing as the end neared, Sabalenka controlled them well enough to finish the job.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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January 28, 2023